Do-it-Yourself Preformed Laminate Countertops

Remove Old Countertop

• 1). Turn off the water to the kitchen at the shut-off valves. Typically, they are under the kitchen sink. Disconnect the water lines from the shut-off valves under the sink. Disconnect and remove the P-trap. Plug the open plumbing line with a rag.
  
  
• 2). Cut through the silicone bead around the sink with a utility knife. Check to see if there are any fasteners under the sink holding it in place, if you find fasteners remove them. Pry the sink up with a pry bar and out of the top of the countertop. Set aside.
  
  
• 3). Unscrew screws holding the top of the cabinet base. Look under the cabinet for the screws. If you do not see screws, use a handsaw fitted with a 6-inch reciprocating metal blade. Cut through the joint between the cabinet and the top. If the cabinet is nailed down, pry up the counter with a pry bar. Remove the countertop from the cabinet with a helper.
  
  

Install Laminate Countertop

• 1). Secure the buildup strips along the top sides of the cabinet bases with the screws provided and a drill. Leave approximately 1 ½ inches of space between the strips and the cabinet fronts.
  
  
• 2). Test-fit the largest section of the preformed laminate countertop. If the countertop is too long, cut an opening into the wall allowing the corner of the miter (angle) to fit in it with a drywall saw. The opposite side should fit snugly against the opposing wall.
  
  
• 3). Measure how far the mitered end of the countertop protrudes into the hole with a tape measure, and subtract ¼ inch. Mark a line along the straight end of the countertop, running a scribing tool set at the measurement the length of the wall. Wrap the end of the countertop with masking tape to protect it. Scribing marks the length needed for a proper fit and accounts for a corner that is not square.
  
  
• 4). Remove material with a belt sander until you reach the line indicated by the scribing tool. Do not allow a belt sander to run upward toward the laminate, as doing this may cause the laminate to chip or pull away. Test-fit the countertop again, verifying the front overhang is parallel with the cabinet front.
  
  
• 5). Test-fit the adjoining section of the countertop; fit it snugly against the countertop that's in place. Measure the space preventing the inside front corner of the mitered ends from fitting together with a tape measure.
  
  
• 6). Check the overhang on the open end of the counter. It may need cutting if adjoining an appliance. Scribe the line on masking tape and cut with a circular saw. Finish the cut by sanding the edge with a belt sander.
  
  
• 7). Finish the end of the countertop with an end cap kit. Typically, laminate glues to the end with a contact adhesive.
  
  
• 8). Connect the countertops (temporarily) with miter bolts. The precut slots along the mitered sides receive the metal clamps of the bolt. Fit the bolts inside them, and secure by screwing them together loosely with an open-ended wrench.
  
  
• 9). Spread water-resistant wood glue along both edges of the miter with the glue bottle. Gently tap the joints flush with one another using a wood block and hammer. Tighten the bolts, little by little, checking as you go that the joints remain perfectly flat.
  
  
• 10
  
  Screw the countertop to the cabinet from beneath. Insert screws through the corner cabinet brackets and tighten with a drill. Do not screw through the countertop or pierce the laminate. The length of the screws provided should sink approximately halfway through the countertop material.
  
  
• 11
  
  Cut the opening to install a sink or range top. Find the center of the cabinet base, and mark it on the countertop with a pencil. Typically, a sink is centered from side to side and back to front on the countertop. Apply masking tape all around the perimeter you marked. Masking tape protects the countertop. Tape the template that came with the sink onto the countertop. Use a drill and drill bit and make starter holes in each corner. Make the holes approximately 1 inch inside the cut line. Insert a jigsaw and cut the cut line. Have a helper catch the cutout as it falls.
  
  
• 12
  
  Close up the hole made in step 2 with a joint compound. Let the joint compound dry according the manufacturer's directions and sand.
  
  
• 13
  
  Run a bead of silicone caulking along the entire edge of the countertop to the wall.